Our Fish Story

AADIZOOKAAN (THE STORY)

The creation story tells us about our beginnings as anishinabeg and about our connection to all things. The story connects us to the land
we come from and the places we hold as special. The land becomes inseparable from us for it tells us who we are and where our roots
are.

According to the aadizookaawin, Manidoo had a vision (dream). Manidoo saw the mineral people and brought his vision into being. Manidoo
spoke to the mineral people and told them he was going to give them a gift and they needed to take care of this gift. He gave them
the plant people. Then Manidoo spoke to the plant people and told them he was going to give them a gift and they were to take care
of this gift. Manidoo gave them the animal people. Manidoo told the mineral, plant and animal people he was going to give them a sacred
gift they were to take care of.

Manidoo took the four elements, fire, water, earth and air, blew his breath into the four elements and made anishinabe. The mineral people,
plant people, and animal people agreed to take care of this sacred gift Manidoo gave them. This set in motion the interconnected, interdependent
and interrelated system.

Animals are no less important than humans, plants are no less important than animals. To show our gratitude, we are to honor all of these
things that take care of us. We are all part of one great whole. We must remember that we do not own the earth, the earth owns us.